You know the IQS Recommends Tick? Sarah developed it a while back to help the sugar conscious community make better choices in the supermarket. In the wake of announcing she was closing I Quit Sugar she suddenly got a bunch of requests to continue the movement in some way. The Tick was the thing everyone wanted to see grow.
So this is what she did. Over to you, Sarah:
I closed IQS for very specific reasons. But I was torn. Tonnes of you contacted me pointing out ways I could keep some aspects of the movement going. I didn’t want to do this if it meant being “motivated by the dollar”. So I found a fun way to pass the recipes on, raising money for charity. And then I found a way to make the Tick work in a similar way. You know, poking the sugar-free movement WHILE ALSO giving back.
What the IQS Recommends Tick all about?
The IQS Recommends Tick is plonked on the front of food and health-related products that assist Aussies make better shopping and eating decisions. A publicly available set of criteria will be applied, incorporating the whole food system, including ethical production, sustainable packaging and ingredients, and, of course, sugar content. Remedy Kombucha sports the tick. From this month, Alter Eco’s super dark (and ethical) chocolate will also display the Tick.
But before I go further, please meet Megan Yonson
You might recognise her? She joined IQS in the early days. She’s a nutritionist from Albury (hobbies include, camping, hiking, and exploring new places) and became the recipe developer. Those recipes you loved on the Program? A whopping big stack of them were hers (especially the crazy ones!). She and I worked side by side for years. And we’re back together again, working on some food waste projects…and the Tick.
How will it work?
There will be Strict Criteria
As a base, each product must:
Have less than 6g of sugar per 100g
Have less than 10g of sugar per 100g for a dairy product
Additional Criteria includes:
Sustainable or reusable packaging
No toxic oils
Ethical production practices
Minimally processed
Adhering with the EWG ingredients of concern
The charity bit:
Something like this has the opportunity to do double (triple?) whammy good. I’m using the opportunity to raise funds for my philanthropic trust, which is going to fund and propel homelessness, food waste and anxiety charities (more TK). And, hopefully, to get other businesses to take part in the “giving back” fun.
60% of profits will be going to charity
PLUS, we’ll be awarding select up-and-coming brands with a free “tick”.
Full Transparency: Fees for the tick go to:
Both Megs and I feel it’s important you know this.
Paying nutritionists/researchers to analyse and test products in line with the criteria
Mentoring companies to reformulate/repackage/change products so they can align with the IQS Tick criteria.
Advertise to let customers know what is in in the markets with a tick and to also educate on what the tick is
Maintaining an online platform
60% of profits go to charity, a portion of which will be used to allocate a Tick For Free to up-and-coming products and brands doing great things by the sugar-free community. Allocation each year will be determined by a panel and you will be notified of the selection in advance.
Extra benefits of the IQS Recommends Tick
Says Megan: “The tick is going to encourage the food industry to step up and be held accountable. There is an opportunity for brands wishing to have the tick to be educated to raise their own bar to meet criteria (for instance, where their packaging choices are not sustainable).
“And my favourite bit: the charity element of the Tick Program will enable smaller, nascent brands to receive due recognition and to get a “leg up” in the crowded market.”
Finally…
We’re going to be sharing all comms about the Tick and the brands and products that make the cut here FB and on Instagram.
Think you might like the IQS Tick on your product?
Get in touch with Megs at tick@sarahwilson.com and she’ll send you some more info.